Uriah Heep – The Shadow and the Wind: 1973-1974 5CD Box Set

Uriah Heep – The Shadow and the Wind: 1973-1974

• FOR FANS OF: Deep Purple, Queen, Black Sabbath.

• The classic ‘Live 1973’ album expanded, plus a live set from 1974 along with two studio albums from the early 70s.

Following hot on the heels of Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, British hard rock legends Uriah Heep released their debut album in June 1970. Featuring David Byron on lead vocals, Mick Box on lead guitar and Ken Hensley on keyboards, ‘Very ‘Eavy Very ‘Umble’ is quite rightly regarded as a major influence on the development of hard rock and heavy metal. 1970 was the centenary of Charles Dickens’ death, and having originally been called Spice, they switched to the more Dickensian Uriah Heep when Hensley joined their ranks after spells in The Gods and Toe Fat before recording their debut.

Like their hard rocking contemporaries of the 1970s, it was live on stage where Uriah Heep truly shone, and no self-respecting rock or metal band of the era could be without a classic double live album, and ‘Uriah Heep Live’ (CD1) is no exception. Recorded at Birmingham Town Hall in January 1973, and released three months later, it delivered their third gold record in a row in the States, it remains a testament to the classic line-up of Box/Hensley/Byron/Kerslake/Thain.

Back in the days when bands were expected to be prolific enough to release two new albums a year, Uriah Heep released their sixth studio album ‘Sweet Freedom’ (CD3) in 1973, by which time they had been joined by drummer Lee Kerslake (Ozzy Osbourne) and bassist Gary Thain, which many see as the most enduring line-up of the band. The album saw Ken Hensley develop as a songwriter, with the music a blend of proto heavy metal and progressive rock, consolidating their growing popularity at home as well as the all important US market. ‘Sweet Freedom’ was followed by ‘Wonderworld' (CD4) in June 1974, with the hard rock attack of Mick Box’s guitar, alloyed to Ken Hensley’s keyboards and David Byron’s operatic vocal approach making the band a formative influence on bands such as Queen. With a significant dent in the charts on both sides of the Atlantic, ‘Wonderworld’ featured the single ‘Something Or Nothing’, but was the last studio album to feature bass guitarist Gary Thain.

It was the classic Box/Hensley/Byron/Kerslake/Thain line-up that would record ‘Live at Shepperton ’74' (CD5) the same year. Issued in bootleg style artwork, the album wasn’t given an official release until 1986, and captures the band in a more intimate setting in front of a much smaller, invited audience. CD2 was originally released as part of a deluxe version of ‘Live 1973’ and features the band in 1974 with a US Radio show session, and with film mixes from the Shepperton show and on an extended ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Medley’.

Uriah Heep continued to tour and release new albums until the present day. In 2025 they launched their farewell tour, celebrating 55 years of music. The package includes liner notes based on new interviews with founder member, Mick Box.

Tracklist:
DISC ONE
URIAH HEEP LIVE 1973
1  Sunrise
2  Sweet Lorraine
3  Traveller In Time
4  Easy Livin'
5 July Morning
6  Tears In My Eyes
7  Gypsy
8  Circle Of Hands
9  Look At Yourself
10  Magician's Birthday
11  Love Machine Rock 'N' Roll Medley
12  Roll Over Beethoven
13  Blue Suede Shoes
14  Mean Woman Blues
15  Hound Dog
16  At The Hop
17  Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On
18  Blue Suede Shoes
 
DISC TWO
U.S. RADIO SHOW 1974
1  Something Or Nothing
2  I Won't Mind
3  Look At Yourself
4  Gypsy
FILM MIXES USED FOR RADIO
5  Easy Livin'
6  So Tired
7  I Won't Mind
8  Something Or Nothing
9  The Easy Road
10  Stealin'
11  Love Machine
ROCK 'N' ROLL MEDLEY '74
12  Roll Over Beethoven
13  Blue Suede Shoes
14  Mean Woman Blues
15  Hound Dog
16  At The Hop
17  Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On
18  Blue Suede Shoes
 
DISC THREE
SWEET FREEDOM (1973)
1  Dreamer
2  Stealin'
3  One Day
4  Sweet Freedom
5  If I Had the Time
6  Seven Stars
7  Circus
8  Pilgrim
Bonus Tracks
9  Sunshine
10  Seven Stars (Extended Version)
11  Pilgrim - Extended Version (Previously Unreleased)
12  If I Had the Time (Demo)
13  Sweet Freedom (Alternative Live Version) 14 Stealin' (Alternative Live Version)
 
DISC FOUR
WONDERWORLD (1974)
1  Wonderworld
2  Suicidal Man
3  The Shadows and The Wind
4  So Tired
5  The Easy Road
6  Something Or Nothing
7  I Won't Mind
8  We Got We
9  Dreams
Bonus Tracks
10  What Can I Do
11  Love, Hate and Fear (Previously Unreleased Version)
12  Stone’s Throw (Previously Unreleased Version)
13  Dreams (Extended Version)
14  I Won't Mind (Live Version)
15  So Tired (Live Version)
 
DISC FIVE
LIVE AT SHEPPERTON '74
1  Easy Livin'
2  So Tired
3  I Won't Mind
4  Sweet Freedom
5  Something Or Nothing
6 The Easy Road
7  Stealin'
8  Love Machine
9  Rock 'N' Roll Medley
10  Roll Over Beethoven
11  Blue Suede Shoes
12  Hound Dog
13  At The Hop
14  Blue Suede Shoes
Bonus Tracks
15  The Easy Road
16  Sleazy (Easy Livin')
17  Easy Livin'

Label: HNE RECORDINGS
Released: 2025